The Road to Oulles

Yesterday I decided to take it easy before doing a big ride today.  So I rode down the Col d'Ornan into Bourg d'Oisans to have some lunch and mail some postcards.  But by the time I got into town the post office had closed - lots of businesses close in France from about noon until 2:00.  So I just had lunch and headed back up the Col d'Ornan.  About two kilometers up the col there is a side road off to the right that I pass every day.  It's the road to Olles.

I had heard it was a pretty, quiet side road and a steep, but short climb at seven kilometers, and on the spur of the moment I decided to ride up it.  I figured I could ride to Oulles, then drop back down into Bourg d'Oisans to mail my postcards, then ride back up the Col d'Ornan to the King of the Mountains Lodge and call it a day.

I started the climb and a beautiful waterfall came into view.

There was also an excellent view of the I ride I do just about every day that I am here - the road up the Col d'Ornan.

The Oulles road itself started out with several layered switchbacks

After the switchbacks the road became a climbing shelf road.

As I came into Oulles, I found a new creative use for old skis.

Oulles itself is a tiny hamlet with nothing but a very nice water fountain.  One of the nice things about riding in France is the number of public potable water fountains.  Every hamlet seems to have one.

Oulles

After Oulles it was a rocket downhill run back into Bourg d'Oisans to mail my postcards and then a mellow spin back up the Col d'Ornan for a bit of a rest day: 27 miles of riding, 4,300 feet of climbing.